2 people shot at Wilmington Hospital as police search for "possible active shooter"

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Ross DiMattei

Ross DiMattei comes to Philadelphia from KTNV-TV in Las Vegas, where he anchored and reported for more than two years. He is most proud of his interview with then-presidential candidate Joe Biden, extensive reporting on Las Vegas' economic recovery from COVID-19, and breaking news coverage of George Floyd protests in Las Vegas, for which he won a regional Emmy Award.

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Madeleine Wright

Madeleine Wright is a bilingual general assignment reporter for CBS News Philadelphia who is fluent in Spanish. She joined the team in January 2022 and was named the Delaware County reporter in July 2023.

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Updated on: June 16, 2026 / 7:37 PM EDT

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Two people were shot inside Wilmington Hospital in Delaware as the campus remains on lockdown Tuesday, the city said.

What to know about Wilmington Hospital shooting

ChristianaCare said in a statement that police are searching for a "possible active shooter" at the hospital on the 500 block of West 14th Street. Chopper 3 was over the scene, where a large police presence could be seen, as people were being evacuated from the hospital.

David Karas, the chief administrative officer at the Wilmington Police Department, said officers were dispatched to the hospital for the shooting at around 3:30 p.m.

Karas declined to comment on whether the two people who were shot were employees or the shooter, saying it's an active investigation. The condition of the two people shot was not immediately available.

Two people were shot at Wilmington Hospital in Delaware as the campus remains on lockdown Tuesday, the city said.

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Police are asking the public to avoid the area. Karas said residents in the area of 12th Street and Delaware Avenue will see increased traffic due to the investigation.

A ChristianaCare spokesperson said the emergency department is on divert and that it's working closely with law enforcement to ensure the safety of patients, employees and visitors.

"Our priority remains the safety and well-being of everyone on our campus and the continuity of care for our patients," ChristianaCare said in a statement

Wilmington Police are leading the investigation with assistance from New Castle County Police and Delaware State Police, Karas said. The FBI in Baltimore is also assisting Delaware authorities with the investigation.

Employee at Wilmington Hospital says shooting sounded like firecrackers

Brian Pfeffer, a patient guide at Wilmington Hospital, was in the emergency room when the shooting happened. He said he heard two shots that sounded like firecrackers and then ran out of the hospital.

"Overwhelming emotion, just like, honestly, get out," he said. "I know that sounds horrible, but that's what they train us to do — get out. Schools, hospitals, there are a lot of people who came in here to be safe, and now you have this stuff happening. It's scary, very scary."

Pfeffer said he heard the shots come from the ground floor of the hospital and called the shooting "scary" for everyone involved.

"I don't have the answers, I'm not a politician, but someone needs to figure something out," he said. "This a problem in America. You don't hear about this anywhere else. There's gotta be something done. I'm looking at the camera. You guys got to do something. This is unacceptable."

2 shot at Wilmington Hospital as police search for "possible active shooter"

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Lydia Jones' daughter works at Wilmington Hospital and said she was going to switch cars with her daughter when the shooting happened.

Jones' daughter was locked inside a room at the hospital as SWAT went room to room to search for the shooter. She was eventually reunited with her daughter.

"It's very scary ... it's the world that we live in," Jones said.

Officials react to Wilmington Hospital shooting

Delaware elected officials are reacting to the shooting on social media Tuesday.

Rep. Sarah McBride said she's praying for everyone at Wilmington Hospital.

"I am aware of reports of a shooting at Wilmington Hospital," McBride wrote . "As we await more information, I'm praying for the patients and providers who were on site."

Sen. Chris Coons said he's closely monitoring the shooting.

"I'm praying for everyone's safety, including patients, health care workers, first responders, and law enforcement officers," Coons wrote . "Please continue to follow updates from local officials."

Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester said she's been briefed on the shooting at Wilmington Hospital.

"As we wait for further information, I'm praying for our community and grateful for the swift and ongoing law enforcement response," Blunt Rochester wrote .

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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